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The NBA Finals are knotted up at two games a piece and a huge reason is the resurgence of the Dallas Mavericks’ role players on the offensive end. Yet again, Dallas clawed their way back into a game, dominating the Miami HEAT in crunch time (with it’s superstar battling a 102 degree fever) to make this a series again.

This trend is nothing new for this series as the reserves have played a major role in each of the two teams two victories this series. It will come to no surprise to anyone if Game Five follows that same narrative.   

With the series now a best of three affair, Game Five will be pivotal with the series shifting back to Miami for the final two games.

Let’s take a look at how the matchups have fared through four games this series and what might transpire Thursday night:

Point Guard: Mike Bibby vs. Jason Kidd

This is a matchup Jason Kidd has dominated all series long, however Game Four saw Kidd produce easily his worst game of the series. The 38-year old Kidd scored a grand total of zero points and gave away four turnovers while failing to fill up the stat sheet like his usual self; totaling just three rebounds and three assists in 38 minutes.

It may be hard to believe but Mike Bibby’s outing was actually worse. For the second time this series, the HEAT point guard had a donut in the scoring department and with just two rebounds and an assist failed to make much of an impact on the contest.

The difference between these two players is that Kidd can shine in ways that won’t necessarily show up in the box score. His outstanding defense both on and off the ball in the fourth quarter was a major reason this series is tied at 2-2. Expect Kidd to bounce back with a better game passing the ball but, really, even if he doesn’t he still wins this matchup every game simply because of Bibby’s horrendous play.

Advantage : Mavericks

 

 

Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade vs. J.J. Barea

Dwyane Wade has been an absolute monster this series and Game Four was no different. Much like Dirk Nowitzki in Game Three, Wade did everything he could to will his team to victory but it wasn’t enough. Wade dropped a game-high 32 points and made his presence felt on each end of the court.

J.J. Barea was the most recent victim of this matchup, starting for the first time this series in Game Four and playing a solid all-around game with eight points, four assists and three rebounds.

Whether it’s Barea, DeShawn Stevenson or Jason Terry you want to put on the Mavs’ side of this matchup, it doesn’t matter. Wade is playing some of the best basketball of his life with precision penetration in the lane and some staggering perimter defense.

Forget defensive schemes or who guards who: Wade is simply unstoppable right now.

Advantage: HEAT

 

 

Small Forward: LeBron James vs. Shawn Marion

With an emphasis from coach Rick Carlisle on playing him fewer minutes, Shawn Marion had an efficient, workman like performance in Game Four. In aiding the Mavericks to even the series at 2-all, Marion shot nearly 60 percent from the field and doubled-up LeBron James’ point production on the night with 16 points.

On the other hand, Game Four might have been the worst postseason outing of James’ career. For the first time in his career, James, with just eight points on the night, was held under double-digits in a playoff outing and had two turnovers during a final frame in which he was held scoreless.

Expect James to respond with his best game of the series Thursday night after he takes a beating in the press over the next two days.

Game Four Advantage: Mavericks

Game Five Advantage: HEAT

 

 

Power Forward: Chris Bosh vs. Dirk Nowitzki

The man who has been arguably the best over player throughout the postseason continues to shine on the game’s biggest stage. Nowitzki battled both a fever and the relentless HEAT defense to score a team-high 21 points, nearly half of which (10) were delivered in the pivotal fourth quarter.

{AUTHOR_BOX}In his own right, Chris Bosh had an excellent Game Four. The Dallas native dropped a series-high 24 points while displaying his most efficient offensive game of the NBA Finals as he drained over 47 percent of his shots for the game.

With his clutch, game-winning basket in Game Three and improved play in Game Four, Bosh is beginning to come on strong in this position battle. Even with these recent developments, Nowitzki has been the best player on the floor for the majority of this series and I would expect a healthier Nowitzki to continue his dominance in Game Five.

Advantage: Mavericks

 

 

Center: Joel Anthony vs. Tyson Chandler

Defense was the key for both of these players in Game Four, however Tyson Chandler broke out with one of those monster games he hasn’t produced since the Western Conference Finals. With 13 points and a game-high 16 rebounds, Chandler controlled the paint and reasserted himself as the best rebounder in this series.

Anthony did well in his own right, contributing four points, eight rebounds and a block to pace Miami. But Chandler showed just how relentless he can be battling around the basket and why he is one of the best centers in the Western Conference.

In Game Five, and beyond, this is a matchup Dallas will continue to win.

Advantage: Mavericks

 

 

Bench: Mike Miller, Udonis Haslem, James Jones, and Mario Chalmers vs. Jason Terry, DeShawn Stevenson, Brian Cardinal and Brendan Haywood

 

 

The day after Game Three, Dirk Nowitzki called out Jason Terry to step his game up and the former Sixth Man of the Year held up his end of the bargain in Game four.

The Mavericks’ bench, which featured the tandem of Terry and the recently demoted DeShawn Stevenson, dominated this matchup after being outplayed and outhustled in Game Three. The only two players to score off the Dallas’ bench, Terry (17 points) and Stevenson (11) combined to outscore the HEAT reserves 28 to 15  for the contest.

Bench play has been a major factor in every game this series, so don’t be surprised when the team with the stronger production off the pine takes a 3-2 series lead after Game Five.

Advantage: Mavericks

 

 

Game Five, like every other game so far in the 2011 NBA Finals, is going to be a dog fight. Expect a low scoring affair that may have it’s flashes of run and gun play in spurts, but that will feature a methodical game for the most part with two stingy defenses and clutch fourth quarter play deciding the contest.

Of the 26 times the NBA Finals have been notched at two games going into Game Five, the winner of the next game has gone on to win the championship 19 times. However, last season, the Boston Celtics won Game Five to take a 3-2 series lead but lost both games in Los Angeles as the Lakers won their second straight title.

Game Five is scheduled for 9 p.m. EST on Thursday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas and can be seen nationally on ABC.